1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to musical instrument performance systems and environments, and in particular to the combination of novel instrument entities built from synergistic arrangements of traditional and novel instrument elements, and the interconnection of said instrument entities utilizing generalized interface entities to signal routing, processing, and synthesis entities built from synergistic combinations of traditional and novel architectures, processes, and methodologies.
The systems and methods herein are intended to make possible a new generation of musical instrument products with enhanced capabilities and sounds, new semiotic-oriented performance capabilities, and rich composition and recording environments.
2. Background
There has been considerable advancement in music technology in the last several decades, but recent innovations driven by mass-market forces have narrowed the range of possibilities for commercially available instruments and the ways in which new recorded and performed music are being explored. Audio samples of diverse instruments, advanced signal processing power, improved fidelity, the MIDI control interface, sequencers, and music workstations are important assets but, together with the ways synthesizers, signal processing systems, and instrument controllers have come to be designed, the channel of innovation is focused on a relatively narrow conceptual range that will consume as much rework and refinement energy as can be allotted. A few modern outlier innovations have appeared, such as the Roland COSM signal processing methods, Yahama VL1 model-based synthesis methods, and Buchla""s and Starr Switch alternative MIDI controllers, but due to the focused drive of the mainstream these exceptions are largely orphaned in their application.
What is needed is some reach into the souls (rather than make samples) of deep non-Western and Western instruments, a recasting of the now institutionalized signal processing chains, adaptations of new classes of applicable physical phenomenon, extensions as to the types and forms of meaningful human control, and, in the context of performance, a deeper integration of visual and audio environments.
Based on research and development of this nature, it is possible to create a new-generation framework for expanding the timbral, expressive range, artistic depth, and semiotic aspects of performed and recorded music as well as wide ranges of performance art. Such a framework is particularly advantageous if it were to build on and inter-work with both the existing music technology mainstream and the long established playing techniques of expressively sophisticated, iconic, or significantly adaptable instruments. With such attributes, isolated products and musical directions can be gently folded in to the established mainstream and evolve as the mainstream finds moments of stagnation and boredom within itself. This methodology would permit the current manufacturing and marketing establishments of music technology and content to progressively and profitably shift to a more creatively satisfying and sustainable path.
To these ends, the invention provides methods, apparatus, and example implementations subscribing to a standardized framework which address these needs and opportunities.
1. A key aspect of the invention is a unified architecture involving instrument entities, generalized instrument interfaces, and signal routing, processing, and synthesis elements.
2. A further aspect of the invention is the defining of general instrument elements which instrument entities can be created from.
3. A further aspect of the invention is augmenting existing instruments lending themselves to expansion with said general instrument elements.
4. A further aspect of the invention is the use of miniature keyboards for the attachment to existing instruments.
5. A further aspect of the invention is the expansion of keyboards to include any one or more of proximate, superimposed, programmable tactical feedback, and/or multiple (more than 2) parameter key features.
6. A further aspect of the invention is the sharing of same electronics across multiple keyboards and/or strum-pads.
7. A further aspect of the invention is that of strum-pads with non-repeating contacts along the strum path and flexible assignment of note event control signals to each contact.
8. A further aspect of the invention is that of including standardized arrangements of panel controls, such as switches and sliders, to instruments.
9. A further aspect of the invention is the use of null/contact touch-pads, potentially fitted with impact and/or pressure sensors and with the potential derivation of multiple contact point information, as a musical interface.
10. A further aspect of the invention is that of pressure-sensor array touch-pads as an instrument controller, potentially including image recognition capabilities and the ability to derive and assign control parameters from the way the pad is contacted
11. A further aspect of the invention is the structuring of associated image processing for a pressure-sensor array touch-pad to capture hand and foot contact postures and gestures
12. A further aspect of the invention is the structuring of associated image processing for a pressure-sensor array touch-pad to derive parameters from hand and foot contact postures which permit the application of useful metaphors in their operation.
13. A further aspect of the invention is the implementation of pressure-sensor array touch-pads, and potentially related decentralized image processing and networking functions, in a mini-array chip which can be tiled into arbitrary shapes, potentially including instrument keys.
14. A further aspect of the invention is using key displacement together with contact position to derive at least three parameters from a standard Western keyboard key.
15. A further aspect of the invention is a foot controller with buttons and pedals that have associated alphanumeric displays.
16. A further aspect of the invention is a foot controller with any one or more of: hierarchical organization of changeable stored program elements, arbitrary button assignment of hierarchy control functions, and/or multiple interpretation geometric layout of buttons and pedals.
17. A further aspect of the invention is a method for doing one handed drum rolls with acoustic drums or multiple parameter electronic drumpads.
18. A further aspect of the invention is: mallets, beaters, and bows with any one or more of impact, grip, position, or pressure, strain, and/or motion sensors.
19. A further aspect of the invention is an autoharp adaptation with both strings and strumpads.
20. A further aspect of the invention is: a string autoharp adaptation where chord buttons issue control signals.
21. A further aspect of the invention is an autoharp adaptation where a note-oriented keyboard is used to replay multiple note chord buttons, potentially where the keys are multiple parameter keys.
22. A further aspect of the invention is: autoharp, Pipa, Koto, Harp, Mbira, pedal steel, and Sitar adaptations with separate pickups for each vibrating element, potentially also employing pitch shifting on selected vibrating element.
23. A further aspect of the invention is: Pipa, Koto, Harp, Mbira, pedal steel, and Sitar adaptations with strum-pads.
24. A further aspect of the invention is: guitar, Pipa, Koto, Harp, Mbira, pedal steel, and Sitar adaptations with vibrating element excitation drivers built into the instrument.
25. A further aspect of the invention is: guitar, Pipa, Koto, Harp, Mbira, pedal steel, and Sitar adaptations with additional string arrays and/or one or more miniature keyboards with keys close to the string array.
26. A further aspect of the invention is the use of vowel synthesis in conjunction with a bowed instrument.
27. A further aspect of the invention is attaching a video camera to an instrument.
28. A further aspect of the invention is the use of optical pickups for metalaphones and drum heads.
29. A further aspect of the invention is the use of non-equilibrium chemical reactions as musical controllers or parts of instruments.
30. A further aspect of the invention is the use of photoacoustic phenomena as musical controllers or parts of instruments.
31. A further aspect of the invention is the use of video cameras as musical controllers and/or instruments.
32. A further aspect of the invention is a wide variety of new signal processing innovations, including spatial timbre construction, hysteretic waveshaping, layered signal processing, location modulation of signal pan constellations, cross-product octave chains.
33. A further aspect of the invention is the provision for a wide variety of control signal monoatic and polyadic operations as listed in the disclosure.
34. A further aspect of the invention is the provision for a wide variety of control routing capabilities as listed in the disclosure, including routing at MIDI message index levels.
The system and method herein can be applied to live performance (music, dance, theater, performance works, etc.), recorded audio and video production, and composition.